I harnessed some Christmas energy and experimented a bit to get this shot. When taking pictures of Christmas lights this year, I found that out of focus lights created a much more dramatic effect by making the light much larger. When I saw these holiday decorations in my neighborhood, I decided to take photos both in and out of focus. By re-focusing at different spots I was able to highlight the shape of the lights. The result is really dreamy on the edges, while at the same time pulling your attention to the angel in the center. Merry Christmas!

The crazy lights on this scary pumpkin head are enough to make you jump as you walk by. This was taken last year at the No Mercy Cemetery in Mountain View, as the No Mercy is no more. The people that put it on moved away so there weren’t any decorations on the lawn this year, but the previous years made it worth doing one more tribute.

My neighborhood has a history of getting into the spirit of Halloween. Some houses even have decorations that take over the entire front yard. I particularly like the No Mercy Cemetery with its spooky skeleton standing guard!